FC Goa vs Delhi Dynamos Preview: In search of home comforts

~ Gaurs look to make three in a row at home ~

Thursday, 1st November, 2018 was not a great day to be an FC Goa fan. The Gaurs suffered their first loss of the campaign as they went down 1-4 to Jamshedpur FC at the Tata Sports Complex.

A new Thursday, and more importantly, home comfort await the Gaurs as they set to welcome Delhi Dynamos to their park. The Fatorda Stadium has truly been a fortress for FC Goa with the Gaurs having slotted nine past their opponents in the opening two games.

However, after the humbling experience, everyone in the FC Goa camp knows that those numbers mean nothing.

The challenge ahead

The Lions are yet to get off the mark in the wins column seven games into the season and are currently enduring their worst start ever. A change in management and a big rebuild has so far not borne any fruits for the side from the capital.

It would be easy to pin FC Goa as favourites coming into the game. Delhi, however, finally showed some mojo in their game against Jamshedpur. The Dynamos trailed, then took the lead and eventually ended up sharing the points on the night.

The game, however, showed a side of Delhi that their fans have been so desperate to see. They showed real fight and resolve to get back into things and at one point it looked like the Lions could actually run away with it.

FC Goa, meanwhile, come into the game with a slight stumble. The Gaurs’ stupendous start to the season was brought to a halt last week when they went down 1-4. Sergio Lobera’s men have shown that they have the quality and the Goan faithful will hope to see that show through again this Thursday.

Nine goals and a 100 per cent record at home for Goa will give the home side much confidence heading into the encounter. The game of football, though, has time and again shown that history counts for nothing once the referee blows the whistle.

The gaffer’s call

The results might not have been coming for Delhi but their brand of football has certainly made Sergio Lobera a fan.
“Delhi is a side that really plays attacking football and I am a great fan of their style. They played really well against Jamshedpur and are looking for their first win so we are going to face a side that is really going to be hungry,” stated Lobera ahead of the game.

The FC Goa head coach, however, remains confident that Delhi will have to wait a bit longer for their first three points of the season.

“I have trust in my players. They know the pride that is associated with wearing the FC Goa jersey. The whole of Goa looks towards us, and on Thursday, we will give everything to bring back the smiles on the faces of our supporters,” added the Spaniard.

The backdrop

Delhi and Goa have squared off against each other 10 times in the ISL with two also coming face to face in the semi-finals of ISL 2015. The Gaurs were victorious in that encounter, making the final that year where the Gaurs eventually lost to Chennaiyin FC.

Here are some facts you should keep a mind of heading into the game:

Goa have won six of the previous 10 encounters between the sides with Delhi winning three

Goa’s biggest win over Delhi came last season when they put five past the Dynamos to win 5-1 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi

Delhi’s biggest win came in 2016 when they scored a 5-1 win over Gaurs in New Delhi

Of the players expected to feature for Goa tomorrow, three, viz. Coro, Boumous, and Mandar Rao Dessai have found the back of the net against Delhi

Goa have so far scored 21 goals against Delhi and conceded 14 in the 10 games they have played